Page 134 of The Bachelor Spy
“Let me pass,” Rivers said simply, dropping her cigarette to the floor and crushing it beneath her heel with exaggerated force. “And I won’t kill you.”
Evie gave her head a shake. “That’s not up for negotiation.”
“Ah well, I’ll take the fight then.”
Evie moved first.
She crossed the space between them in two strides, her knife already drawn. But Rivers was ready—had been ready. She dodged left, and Evie’s blade whistled through empty air.
Rivers’ counterstrike came fast, a punch aimed at Evie’s throat. Evie blocked, barely, and they broke apart, circling.
“Your brother also said you telegraph your strikes with your left shoulder.” Rivers tsked, then smiled. “A tell from an old injury.”
Blast you, Evan.
Evie feinted right, then struck left—but Rivers had anticipated it, stepping inside Evie’s guard and driving an elbow toward her face. Evie twisted, taking the blow on her shoulder instead. Pain exploded through the joint.
Evie stumbled back, and Rivers regrouped, stalking to the left, body straight, taut. Confident.
“Do you dream about him?” Rivers said. “Evan. Hear his voice calling for you in the dark? Wonder if maybe, justmaybe,you could have saved him?”
Every night.
But she didn’t voice it. Wouldn’t.
“You should. Because you’re a murderer, Evie Montgomery.” Rivers’ words stung as painfully as her strike. “You killed your own flesh and blood, and no amount of patriotic duty will ever wash that blood from your hands.”
Don’t listen.
Evie’s heart lurched against the words, her head and her heart vying for a victory.
She’d done the right thing. The only thing. To save others.
Blake’s face came to mind.
And a good man loved her. Even though he knew the worst of her.
Evie stilled herself against the fear. The guilt. “I am in the business of stopping traitors, Miss Rivers,” Evie whispered. “No matter who they are.”
Something shifted in Rivers’ expression. Hardened.
Evie hadn’t fallen into the psychological trap.
Which meant the only other way out … was by force.
Rivers’ hand moved to her side, and Evie caught the glint of moonlight on metal.
A gun.
Evie kicked over a nearby side table and dove behind it just as the first bullet whizzed past, splintering the wood in the wall behind her. The awareness she’d upset Rivers’ composure ticked up a little of Evie’s confidence. Perhaps the woman wasn’t as detached as she wished Evie to believe.
Leaning around one side of the table, Evie returned fire, but River dropped into a roll, disappearing behind the corner of a wardrobe.
There was no way the gunfire went unnoticed in the house.
No way it didn’t bring attention.
This needed to end before some poor innocent stumbled into the middle of this mess and got himself killed. Or worse—provided Rivers an escape.
